2023 Polls: Military Moves to Review Rules of Engagement, Code of Conduct
•Pledges loyalty to constitution, president
•MNJTF commander warns terrorists to surrender now or be eliminated
Kingsley Nwezeh
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen, Faruk Yahaya yesterday disclosed that he had approved new Rules of Engagement (RoE) and Code of Conduct document expected to govern operations and conduct of military personnel during the elections.
He also pledged the loyalty of the Nigerian Army to the constitution of the country and the president.
The army chief’s disclosure came as the Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Maj Gen. Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, warned insurgents, who were yet to lay down their arms and surrender to troops to do so or be eliminated.
The army chief, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the Second Quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference 2022, in Abuja, said the need to ensure that army personnel were neutral during the polls informed the decision to review the rules of engagement.
He warned officers and men to remain apolitical.
“At this juncture, let me hasten to remind us that the nation is currently preparing for general elections.
“All personnel must remain apolitical while providing enabling and secured environment for electoral processes to thrive. In this regard, I directed the review of Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct for Operation Safe Conduct and the approved guidelines would be conveyed to you soon,” he said, while noting that the Nigerian Army would continue to enhance its civil-military relations efforts and provide the necessary support in aid of civil authority.
Reviewing the military’s performance in the last one year, he said troops, had, so far cleared the terror enclaves in the north-east, forcing thousands of terrorists to surrender.
He said the conference was convened to enable the Army review its operations and strategies.
“We thank the Almighty God for enabling us to hold second quarter conference at the time scheduled in our forecast of events for 2022.
“As seasoned commanders and heads of establishments, you are all conversant with the importance of conferences of this nature, which provide us the platform to appraise the conduct of our activities and re-strategise as necessary to achieve greater performance,” he said.
Yahaya maintained that the military had sustained the onslaught against insurgents in the north-east and other theatres of operations.
“In the north-east, troops of Operation Hadin Kai have sustained the onslaught against the terrorists leading to the clearance of the several criminal enclaves and the surrendering of large numbers of insurgents and their families.
“Concerted efforts have also been made to contain and checkmate the secessionist activities in the South-east and illegal oil bunkering activities in the south-south.
“This conference would, therefore, enable us to fine-tune our strategies and establish new benchmarks for the enhancement of our operations in all theatres of operations. I commend the sacrifices and bravery of our troops,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Maj. Gen. Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, has warned insurgents yet to lay down their arms and surrender to troops to do so or be eliminated.
The commander, who spoke in N’Djamema, Chad, advised the remaining terrorists hibernating in the Tumbuns and other parts of Lake Chad to come out and surrender like thousands of their colleagues, who are presently being rehabilitated before it is too late.
The force commander urged the MNJTF troops not to be distracted but remain dogged as terror groups, Boko Haram and ISWAP were continually degraded and their capacity to resist diminished.
